1.05—University Web Policy

Policy Statement

All web pages hosted on the Michigan Tech network or hosted off-site but maintained
for any University activity or function, must comply with University Web Policy requirements,
and all federal, state, and local laws.

Policy Requirements

There are nine categories of University web pages covered in this policy:

Michigan Tech Home Page

Academic Course Information

Academic Departments

Administrative Departments

Conferences / Special Purpose

Faculty / Staff

Research Center / Institute

Research Initiative, Group, or Unit

Student Groups and Organizations

The category of a web page dictates the components that must be on it or the criteria
it must follow. Refer to Appendix A: University Web Pages: Component and Criteria Requirements by Category for a list of components and criteria. If these requirements are not
followed, noncompliant web pages may be unlinked from the University homesite until
modifications are made to bring the pages into compliance.

Privacy and Security

Web pages that collect private information must display a link to a Privacy Statement
for that application. The Privacy Statement must give the intended use of any collected
data such as names, addresses, or email addresses. It is the University’s intention
to protect private information from misuse.

Any Michigan Tech web-based tool that requires or requests private information must
be implemented in a secure way. Such data must be protected in transit by means of
a secure web connection.

Advertising and Endorsement

Official Michigan Tech web pages must not link commercial sites that advertise and/or
sell products or services. Such links may be construed by visitors to Michigan Tech’s
website as endorsement of those products or services. Michigan Tech web pages may
not accept sponsorship from commercial entities in exchange for advertising and/or
links to commercial sites.

Reason for Policy

Michigan Tech's web pages provide a view of Michigan Tech to the world. The web pages
present our programs and activities to current and future students and their parents,
to sports fans and alumni, and to other academic institutions and researchers around
the world. The University encourages and supports the fullest, most accurate presentation
of Michigan Tech for all activities related to academic, administrative, and marketing
purposes.

Related Policy Information

All links on official Michigan Tech web pages are subject to a systematic annual review
by the Director of Digital Services.

Web pages that do not comply with the University Web Policy may be unlinked from the
University homesite until modifications are made to bring the noncompliant pages into
compliance. The director of Digital Services has the authority to take this action.
A University department may authorize their system administrator to unlink or remove
noncompliant pages.

The director of Digital Services, departmental web developer, and department head/director
are encouraged to work together to resolve noncompliance issues. Most problems can
be resolved in this way. If noncompliance issues cannot be resolved, follow the Web
Policy Arbitration procedure. If an arbitration goes to the Web Policy Subcommittee
or an arbitration panel, their findings are final.

Exclusions

Student personal web pages hosted on the Residence Hall network (Resnet) are exempt
from this policy, since they are not "official" university web pages. However, they
are subject to all policies in the "Michigan Tech Student Handbook."

If a commercial link supports the University's purposes, or a University project,
and/or provides an essential service to the University community, specific exceptions
may be granted by the director of Digital Services.

Contacts

Office/Unit Name

Telephone Number

Director, Digital Services

906-487-3635

Director, University Marketing and Communications

906-487-2354

Vice President for Student Affairs and Advancement

906-487-2465

Computer Security (secure web connection)

906-487-1727

Definitions

Academic Course Information Pages — Web pages that instructors use to provide students with information as a supplement
to other class materials.

Department — Any administrative, academic, or research unit at Michigan Tech.

Department Home Page — Main page for a Michigan Tech department.

Department Resource Page — A link from the department home page that includes news, research groups and centers,
information, academic programs, outreach, projects, facilities, events, and societies.

Faculty and Staff Web Pages — Web pages introducing Michigan Tech employees, whether maintained by the employee's
department or by the employee, which typically include office location, title and
description of research, or other roles at Michigan Tech.

Michigan Tech Network — Delineated as all hosts in the 141.219.0.0/16 network.

Michigan Tech Home Page — www.mtu.edu/

Michigan Tech Homesite — All web pages hosted on the Michigan Tech network or hosted off-site but maintained
for any University activity or function.

Official University Web Page — A Web page hosted on the Michigan Tech network or hosted off-site but maintained
for any University activity or function.

Student Personal Web Pages — Personal web pages of current Michigan Tech students, also called "unofficial web
pages" because the pages are not maintained by the student's department.

Responsibilities

University Marketing and Communications — Creates and maintains the Michigan Tech homesite and its related web pages; maintains
the University's CMS, ; maintains the "University Brand, Editorial, and Web Standards".

Director, Digital Services — Reviews new department home pages for consistency of message and readability; serves
as chair of the Web Oversite Committee; appoints members to the Web Oversite Committee;
serves as first point of contact for departments wishing to change their web sites
and to resolve noncompliance web issues; authorizes the unlinking of noncompliant
web pages from the University website during the arbitration process.

Department Heads/Directors — Mediates noncompliance web issues with their web developer and the director of
Digital Services; authorizes their system administrator to unlink or remove noncompliant
pages from their department website; insures that secure department web servers are
used for restricted material, student grades, and student identification numbers.

Lead Researchers (who are responsible for any research initiative, group, or unit) — Ensures that all web pages in support of their research units, projects, and initiatives
are compliant with University web policy.

Removed “Guest — Any non-Michigan Tech organization or any person who is not a current
student or employee, using Michigan Tech’s network resources. Guest Web Page — Any
web page maintained by a guest.” from the Definitions section

Updated the URLs in the policy

Removed the “University Web Policy Arbitration Request” form and the “Forms” section

Removed “WebCT” from “CanvasWebCT”

Removed “Residence Life Network” and “Web Oversite Committee Members” from the “References”
section

04/10/2017

Transfer of policy page from HTML to CMS. General Policy numbers renamed from "2.1000"
to "1.00 General University". Specifically from "2.1005—University Web Policy" to
"1.05—University Web Policy".

03/05/2013

Affirmative Action is now Institutional Equity Office.

03/28/2012

The email address for questions is now hbwebmaster.

10/07/2007

Editorial changes (i.e. changed the department name from University Communications
to University Marketing and Communications, MTU to Michigan Tech, and changed titles).